EDITORIAL: Knowing how government works can save money

One of the most important steps you can take to save taxpayer dollars is to educate yourself about how local government works.

In a recent interview with The Daily News Journal, Rutherford County Board of Zoning Appeals Chairman Zane Cantrell wondered why people who questioned construction of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro mosque never appealed to the BZA.

"I was a little bit surprised that the court system, the judges, the attorneys involved did not ask to appeal to the BZA," Cantrell said. "I was a little surprised that even the judge didn't think of that.'"

Any resident who has concerns about proposed development can file an appeal that goes to the BZA. Once an issue is brought to the board's attention, a public hearing is required.

"We have the power to reject what has been approved," Cantrell said. "Not many bodies have that authority."

Although Cantrell was quick to say the BZA may not have altered the Planning Commission's original decision in approving the mosque, the board could have at least allowed for a public hearing, an issue which has been a bone of contention among those who filed a lawsuit trying to stop construction of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro on Veals Road.

Instead, the Planning Commission's approval of the mosque was taken to court with legal fees charged to taxpayers.

"We are a quasi-judicial extension of the court system," Cantrell explained. "We look at all kinds of appeals that come to us. We are probably the first body of government people come to when they feel like a decision on their land use that has been made is not correct."

Another land dispute that might have benefited through appeal to BZA is the proposed Bible Park USA, which eventually fell through. The BZA could have worked with developers to make their proposal more palatable to the residents of the Blackman Community where it was planned.

"Specific decisions that needed to be worked out could have come to the BZA, and we could have made a recommendation to the County Commission on those specific items, like what kind of activities they might have out there, what kind of buffering, traffic patterns, a more specific plan of traffic patterns, how do people get there and get out of there without disturbing the Blackman community," Cantrell said.

However, the organizers appeared to lack an understanding of the local government. And that cost them.

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EDITORIAL: Knowing how government works can save money

One of the most important steps you can take to save taxpayer dollars is to educate yourself about how local government works.